The present invention relates to a new method for preserving lactose containing foods with plasmid modified strains of Streptococcus lactis subspecies diacetilactis also generally known as Streptococcus diacetilactis. The useful modified Streptococcus diacetilactis strains have been cured to remove a 41 Mdal plasmid such that they are no longer able to ferment lactose to produce lactic acid which imparts an undesirable flavor and curdling with certain milk products.